Wikipedia

My experience with wikipedia has been over all good. I have never used it for a main source of research, but parts of information I have found on wikipedia have been reliable to other sources I have used. Wikipedia seems to be so knowledgeable with over 3 million articles posted to it (in English that is). I am aware that anyone can edit Wikipedia and add their own information to the encyclopedia, but where else can you go that has sites of sites of information in one page? This is very helpful for school topics, unknown facts, and gossip about a certain celebrity. I have used it for some additional information to a 30 page paper I had to write last semester over gay rights. When I typed in gay rights I found not only all about the rules, laws, description, who started it, when they started it, but much more information from people in different states and different laws regarding the act and people who are against it. Each area had there own information website to find out more about all this additional helpful information that I may not have thought about yet.

In the shared economy that Lessig talks about his free culture and how money doesn't make people talk, life does. If you have everything paid for or know you are getting paid for it, you may not always go above and beyond to surprise others around you. My example of his article in remix would be from a work related topic. I am a server at Texas Roadhouse and I was working one night with another girl who had a larger party of 12 people and asked the manager "Why can't we have gratitude added to the bill because I know I am not going to get a big tip?" My manager then responded, "if you plan on working hard to deserve it, you shall get it anyways." That made me think back during reading the neighbor part of the article. Like Lessig talked about helping eachother out, not expecting something different than one day gaining back the favor. We all seem to have a bigger picture of whats known of each other, and seem to have a common idea based off each other in where we stand for money.
In Schiff's article "Know it all," talks all about how the world book got started into the Wikipedia from Wales. This article helps you focus on what wikipedia has all accomplished and over came through the years, budgets, donations, true facts, and myths about the site. The mission is to give a free encyclopedia to the world. I think that the article states good points and is positive in the eye of the beholder. Wikipedia does say it is not 100% accurate, but who is always 100% acurate on a theory? We all have so much knowledge but can always debate something to make a new theory. I think that the article helped me understand more of an overall advantage about the websites goals and where it has started off from. It can reach expertise, I believe.

Nick Bilton points out good observations in the world today rather than 5 years ago. These days people tend to give more of a piece of their mind and not get paid, where 5 years ago you wouldn't be caught dead sharing something you may or may not have known everything about on all sides. Earlier days everyone got so scared with law suits, copyrights, he said she said original thoughts, that everyone kept to them self. Its like when I talked with my grandpa, "Don't talk about religion, politics or money with your friends because everyone has their own views and opinions in their life." Only if we say that now, people laugh and say whats so wrong with our personal views? The world today is known for artists, creativity and education. If we don't all take a second to open up our minds to one another how do we learn? I think this maybe just my thoughts on the article, but Bilton hint the truth right on the target when he said "I couldn't conceive of a world of news and information without the aid of others helping me find the relevant links." This helps everyone understand that today is different than yesterday and tomorrow will bring what today couldn't. Everyday we share and learn new things in life. I am not one to share things about many facts in life unless I am for sure about it. At least share my opinion on something in the world that I am not 100% behind. I have a facebook account and randomly put messages up that don't support or help another person. I don't want to waste mine/ or others time when I could look in the mirror and say it to myself. I want to spread the news of something I was unaware of to help others because I would hope others would do the same in return to one day help me.

Kelsey Krueger